Last update:

29th June 2007

Quick links

Why are trees important?

Tree coverage in the SW

Ancient woodland in the SW

Economy of trees in the SW

Impact of climate change on trees in the SW

Woods under threat from development in the SW

Hedgerows

Useful websites

SW Woodland & Forestry Strategic Economic Study Summary

SW Woodland & Forestry Strategic Economic Study

National Inventory of woodland and trees – SW regional report

Defra regional chapters – SW Forestry

State of the Countryside 2003

Wild Woods initiative

Woodlands and trees under threat

Impact of climate change on trees and woodland in the South West

South West Nature Map

Trees, woodlands and forestry

What's new on this page

• Ancient tree hunt - find an ancient treasure in your own garden
• A strategy for England's trees, woods and forests
• South West Nature Map website launched
• Ancient woodlands in the South West - 4 Ancient Woodland Priority Areas identified in the region
• New page on hedgerows in the South West

Around 9% of the South West is covered by trees and the region has the highest density of hedges and banks in England.

A Strategy for England's trees, woods and forests

A vision of how England’s trees, woods and forests can yield environmental, social and economic benefits for future generations was set out on the 20th June by Barry Gardiner, Minister for Biodiversity, Landscape and Rural Affairs.

From helping to combat climate change to boosting business opportunities, a new Strategy for England Trees, Woods and Forests highlights the potential of these important natural resources to improve life for people and wildlife.

The strategy shows how long-term sustainable management of trees, woods and forests can help people and wildlife adapt to a changing climate and how people can make the most of their local woodlands. It also highlights the way in which woodlands protect and enhance natural resources, improve urban environments, and promote better markets for sustainable woodland products and services.

Why are trees important?

A joint report by the SW Regional Development Agency and the Forestry Commission South West England Woodland and Forestry Strategic Economic Study: Final Report (2000) found that trees:

• Reduce the incidence of asthma, skin cancer and stress-related illness by filtering polluted air
• Reduce smog formation
• Shade out solar radiation
• Offer a calm setting for recreation.
• Have important carbon fixing properties and help to regulate climate and air pollution.
• Help control flooding
• Are a source of sustainable energy
• Provide habitats and food for a wide variety of species
• Improve the landscape and quality of life.
• Improve our health - sport and walking activities in woodlands can also reduce mortality from heart disease, obesity and diabetes.

Tree coverage in the South West

The South West’s climate and land use is particularly conducive to the growing of trees and hedgerows. According to the Countryside Agency the region had the highest density of hedges and banks in England in 2003. See hedgerows in the region.

Defra statistics show that trees cover almost one-tenth (9%) of the region’s total land area, higher than the England average of 7.5% and around a fifth of England’s total. Woodland coverage is greatest in Gloucestershire and Wiltshire (11%) whilst lowest in South Hams, Exmoor, Dartmoor and Bodmin Moor. The area of woodland in the South West has been steadily increasing since 1890, nearly doubling in the last 100 years to 212,000 ha (see graph below).

Woodland cover 1980 - 2000, percentage of total land cover

(click to enlarge)

Source: Land Use Consultants from NIWT (SW England) data provided by Forest Research

According to A joint report by the SW Regional Development Agency and the Forestry Commission South West England Woodland and Forestry Strategic Economic Study: Final Report (2000), the rate of new tree planting in the region has increased in recent years to around 1,500 hectares per annum, significantly higher than any other region.

In the last 10 year over 10,000ha of new woodland has been planted in the South West region. There are a number of significant woodland creation projects in the region, including South West Forest, the Forest of Avon and Great Western community forests. Over a quarter of the region’s existing woods are also certified under the internationally recognised UK Woodland Assurance Standards (UKWAS).

Ancient woodland and old trees in the South West

Ancient woodlands and trees represent a living cultural heritage, a natural equivalent to our great churches and castles. They are also our richest wildlife habitat and are highly valued by people as places of tranquility and inspiration.

The South West contains over 20% (around 73,000 ha) of England's ancient woodland resource and its protection and management is a high priority identified in the South West Regional Woodland and Forestry Framework.

In order to use resources to their greatest effect, a targeting exercise has been carried out to identify core areas of ancient woodland networks in the region where landscape connectivity and permeability offer the best opportunity to link and extend ancient woodlands, either through new native woodland planting or through the management or creation of other semi-natural habitats.

These core areas also indicate where increasing management will have the greatest impact. The concept of core areas is also included in the South West Nature Map.

The first stage was a mapping exercise to identify robust habitat networks centred around clusters of ancient and native woodlands. The principles behind this approach are set out in Forestry Comission Information Note 73 [PDF 500kb].These networks were then considered in the light of the potential for partnership working, and four Ancient Woodland Priority Areas (AWPAs) were selected for 2006 / 2007. Further AWPAs may be initiated in future years pending the success of this approach.

The four Ancient Woodland Priority Areas in the South West are Dartmoor, Exmoor, Forest of Dean and the Cotswolds:

click to enlarge (redirection to the Woodland Trust's website)

Source: Forestry Commission (2006)

Interactive maps of ancient trees and woodland in the South West

Source: Woodland Trust

This map shows a sample of the new interactive maps of individual trees and sites with concentrations of ancient trees provided by the Woodland Trust. This online mapping system, helping you to search for trees and sites across the UK either by clicking on a map, or searching a database.

It is thought that there are 50,000 ancient trees on known sites. The Tree Council also holds record on Great British Trees, containing details on the top 50 trees - 12 of which are in the South West.

Britain's oldest tree is also though to be a 4000 year old yew growing in the ground of a church in Ashbrittle, near Wellington in Somerset (measuring over 12 metres in girth).

Ancient tree hunt

New survey reveals that 80% of people don’t know that the UK has the most ancient trees in Northern Europe. The Ancient Tree Hunt is now on!

Ancient trees, which can live to be up to 5,000 years old, are some of the oldest living things on the planet. The UK has more of these treasures than any other country in Northern Europe, but amazingly we don’t know where they are! The Woodland Trust is asking everyone to join the Ancient Tree Hunt, recording the trees they find and their stories.

A new Woodland Trust survey shows that ancient trees already have the support of the public, with 92% of UK adults saying it is important to secure the future of ancient trees as we do for man-made ancient monuments. 80% do not know that the UK has the most ancient trees in Northern Europe, but 87% say it is important to identify where ancient trees are located. This support is very encouraging, because ancient trees are vital to our landscape, our history and our wildlife.

Anyone from children to adults can take part by finding living history in their parks and gardens and helping the Woodland Trust to create the first interactive map of our ancient trees. This is an important step towards safeguarding these very British treasures. It’s simple to do; you just find your tree and hug it! The fatter it is, the older it is.

The Ancient Tree Hunt is a five-year project, led by the Woodland Trust in partnership with the Ancient Tree Forum and the Tree Register of the British Isles. It is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Esmee Fairbairn Foundation, the Countryside Council for Wales, the Welsh Council for Voluntary Action, Scottish Natural Heritage and supported by the Forestry Commission Scotland; and will be working with local partners across the UK. Joining the Hunt are the Tree Council, The Caravan Club, The National Trust, English Heritage, Forestry Commission and HM Prison Service, over 100 regional and local groups, and many landowners.

Trees as an economic resource in the South West

The direct harvesting of timber is a relatively small industry in the South West, contributing £17 million a year to the regional economy.

However, according to SW RDA and the Forestry Commission, timber processing contributed a further £151 million per year with over 2,500 full-time jobs in 2002. A further 14,000 jobs are generated by the 1200 companies who use forestry and woodland products although most of the raw materials comes from outside of the region.

The same report also found that almost half the region’s woodlands provide public access and recreational opportunities that attract over 32 million trips by local people who spend in excess of £90 million every year. Woodland related recreation, sport and tourism contribute a total of around £300-£375 million per year to the South West’s economy, over fifteen times the value of the timber produced. However, in 2003, Defra reported that the direct value of timber has declined by nearly a third since 1966. Around 40% of woodland in the region is unmanaged.

Condition of the woodland resource

A national Forest Condition 2002 study into the condition of trees by the Forestry Commission has revealed that the condition of trees in Britain declined slightly last year. The crown density survey of Sika spruce, Norway spruce, Scots pine, oak and beech found that although the growing conditions during 2002 were generally good, the crown conditions of trees changed a little or declined when compared to 2001.

Impact of climate change on trees in the South West

A report on the impact of climate change on South West trees and woodland (2004) has been published by Forest Research (an Agency of the Forestry Commission).

Key issues raised in this report include:

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (which fertlises photosynthesis):

• Productivity may increase by of 2-4 yield classes (m3 ha-1 yr-1)
• An increase in leaf area and a possible reduction in timber density and quality.
• A reduced risk of insect and herbivore damage may also be experienced as a result of the decline in nutritional quality of foliage

Species suitability for commercial forestry:

• Sitka spruce will become less suitable at lower altitude, and particularly in the East. However, high productivity is maintained across much of the Peninsula (Devon and Cornwall)
• Productivity of Scots pine will fall significantly across the whole of the region, but particularly in the East.
• Corsican pine will become more productive in the East.
• Douglas fir will become more suitable in the timber production areas of Devon, but will become less suitable to both the East and West.
• Ash will replace beech Wiltshire, Somerset and Devon (under the 2050s Low scenario) and will be replaced by pedunculate oak under the 2050s High scenario.
• Sycamore will suffer in the east of the region, but will maintain productivity in the West

Woodland fires

• The predictions of an increase in the frequency and severity of summer droughts would be expected to result in a large increase in the number of fires and affected areas

Biodiversity

• There are unlikely to be major changes in woodland type as a result of climate change. However, a range of responses will be evident across the range of native species associated with woodland, with some winners and some losers.
• It is likely that management intervention will be required to aid the migration of plant, mammal and invertebrate species.

Insect pests

• Of the current insect pests, the effects of climate change on populations of the green spruce aphid are probably of most concern because of the link between winter temperatures and the prevalence of the insect. Significant losses to Sitka spruce are likely as a result
• Bark beetles are also likely to benefit from climatic warming, especially if this leads to stressed trees that are more vulnerable to attack.

Diseases

• There is some evidence that the activity of Fomes root and butt rot, an economically important disease of conifers, may be enhanced at higher
  temperatures. However, the risk of infection is considered to be low in wet soils in high rainfall areas; thus a change to drier conditions, at least in summer, might warrant reassessment of some currently low risk areas. However, the predominantly acidic soils in the south west lower the risk of Fomes infection.
• However, red-band needle blight which affects Corsican pine has now been identified in the South West, and its rapid spread has been linked to climatic warming. This disease may limit the suitability of Corsican pine in the future.
• The current serious problem in the South West of Phytophthora infections of alder in riparian woodland would be expected to become more serious if winter rainfall increases as flooding episodes, which allow the build-up of debris around the root collar, appear to promote infection

Woodland mammals

• Most mammalian pests of woodland will benefit from the milder winters that are predicted. In addition, earlier growth of ground vegetation will provide forage for herbivores, which is currently one limitation to population expansion. Populations of fallow, muntjac roe and red deer have all been expanding their range in recent years, and they are now becoming a serious pest in some areas.
• Populations of grey squirrels will benefit from climatic warming as it is susceptible to winter cold. Control of their numbers is likely to be an ongoing problem for woodland management, particularly in view of the damage caused to beech and sycamore.

More information and details about the impacts of climate change on the South West's trees and woodland are available in the report.

More information about climate change in the South West can be found here.

Woods and trees under threat from development in the South West

A new web-based resource is now available for you to view woodlands under threat in the UK and to report on woodlands under threat near you. An intiative run by the Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum, the Woods and trees under threat website offers:

• A mapping facility to locate the ancient woods and trees that the Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum believe to be under threat.
• A facility for you to report ancient woodlands and trees that you feel may be severely damaged or destroyed by road schemes, new housing, industry, quarrying and other development.
• Details on identifying ancient trees and ancient woodlands.
• Campaigner's guide to fighting woods and trees under threat.

Ancient woodlands and trees currently identified as being under threat in the South West region (as identified by the Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum):

Source: Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum (2005), Woods and trees under threat website

Enjoying the woodland experience

Wild Woods is a new campaign has been launched by the Forestry Commssion that will help you to find the top wildlife sites across Britain, with a range of wildlife covering birds, mammals, reptiles and insects. Click onto the link to find out about the top wildlife sites in the South West.